Dummies' Guide to Being a Superhero (Editing)

Twenty-Six: I Promise

TWENTY-SIX: I PROMISE

"I can't think of a morning I haven't woke up with the thought of strangling you. That sanctimonious image of yours fooled everyone except me. Because I know evil."

- Lex Luther. Superman/Batman: Public Enemies (2009)
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GRETAL WAS GROUNDED FOR AN entire month. Of course, she was still allowed to go to John's warehouse - if her mom drives her there of course. And by driving, her mom meant staying by her side the entire time she was at the warehouse.

Gretals didn't mention anything about how annoying the clinginess was, she knew her mom was a moment away from having a heart attack when she found out what happened, so the least Gretal could do is pull her shitty attitude together and deal with it for a few weeks.

Her mom sat in the kitchen with Beatrice, helping the redhead make dinner. Gabe's mom was also with them, feeding Wade the cat bits and pieces every time the other ladies looked away. Gretal tried to hide a smile.

She sighed. Sure, everything was right again - but she still felt shitty. Of course, the doctors said she would still have chest pains now and then, but it would fade over time. Not only that, but she hadn't talked to Cooper ever since he visited her at the hospital, which was four weeks ago. And fucking Oscar hasn't even dared to see her ever since the night of the mission. She swears she's going to kill him.

John walked up to her, leaning against the side of the couch. "Can we talk?"

Gretal glanced back, seeing the women huddled around the kitchen and Gabe sitting at the counter with a comic book. She nodded, getting up slowly while John helped her stand correctly.

She wondered what this was about. John hasn't given her a lecture ever since the mission, which was refreshing and also annoying at the same time. Like, look, she's fucking breathing and she's perfectly in one piece. So why the fuck won't things go back to normal?

John opened the door to his room, sitting at his desk while Gretal sat on the futon.

"So," Gretal said slowly, "what's up?"

John sighed. "A lot."

"Mhm." Gretal hummed.

He looked at her. "It's about Arachne."

She raised her eyebrows, mouth twisting into a frown. "What about Arachne?"

"Remember when I said we captured her and Phoebe knocked her out?"

She nodded.

"I lied."

Gretal felt her heart skip a beat. Fucking shit, Summers, I just came out of the hospital so don't make me land back in there again. "What?" She said instead.

John pinched the bridge of his nose. "Well, Phoebe did manage to keep her down. But Phoebe had to run when the S.I.A arrive, since she's basically a criminal as well. Arachne managed to escape at that time - of course she was still severely burned. Thing is, she didn't escape."

"So you guys captured her."

"Wrong." John swallowed. "She turned herself in."

Gretal almost fell forward. "What?"

"She walked up to one of the S.I.A guards and turned herself in without q fight."

"Why didn't you tell me this?"

"I would've, but Gabe was there and I didn't want to give false hope."

Gretal stared down at the ground. "She turned herself in," she muttered, "but why?"